I have to agree 100% with Herr_Koos. It is also much more, like a proper physics engine which is dynamically and uniquely applied. A story mode, including a persistent universe. SC is at heart a simulation, where NMS is arcade’ish. It has a live economy and political state, or will have one, where day-to-day interaction by everyone in the instance will impact the trading system and trigger possible events etc. It also sets realistic goals as opposed to the traditional survival games.
Think 4X strategic,
- Explore
- Expand
- Exploit
- Exterminate
NMS only has exploration.
To think that combat/negotiations/espionage, general politics, alliances (incl. other relationship, short term or long term), resources and management, science and production, economic clockwork, crime, etc. plays a huge role in 4X, so much more to elaborate on…
Then there are player roles, or play styles,
Organisation types include:
- Organisation
- Corporaton
- PMC (Army/Navy)
- Faith <- the interesting bunch
- Syndicate
Coupled to activities:
- Bounty Hunting
- Engineering
- Exploring
- Freelancing
- Infiltration
- Piracy
- Resources
- Scouting
- Security
- Smuggling
- Social
- Trading
- Transport